CONCEPTS

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coefficient if the diffusion flux is
kg/m2-s. Hint: Use Equation 4.9 to convert the
concentrations from weight percent to kilograms
of carbon per cubic meter of iron.
5.9 When -iron is subjected to an atmosphere of
nitrogen gas, the concentration of nitrogen in
the iron, (in weight percent), is a function
of hydrogen pressure, (in MPa), and absolute
temperature (T) according to
(5.11)
Furthermore, the values of and for
this diffusion system are m2/s
and 76,150 J/mol, respectively. Consider a thin
iron membrane 1.5 mm thick that is at C.
Compute the diffusion flux through this membrane
if the nitrogen pressure on one side of
the membrane is 0.10 MPa (0.99 atm), and on
the other side 5.0 MPa (49.3 atm).
Nonsteady-State Diffusion
5.10 Show that
is also a solution to Equation 5.4b. The parameter
B is a constant, being independent of
both x and t.
5.11 Determine the carburizing time necessary to
achieve a carbon concentration of 0.30 wt%
at a position 4 mm into an ironcarbon alloy
that initially contains 0.10 wt% C.The surface
concentration is to be maintained at 0.90 wt%
C, and the treatment is to be conducted at
C. Use the diffusion data for -Fe in
Table 5.2.
5.12 An FCC ironcarbon alloy initially containing
0.55 wt% C is exposed to an oxygen-rich
and virtually carbon-free atmosphere at 1325 K
( C). Under these circumstances the carbon
diffuses from the alloy and reacts at the
surface with the oxygen in the atmosphere;
that is, the carbon concentration at the surface
position is maintained essentially at 0 wt% C.
(This process of carbon depletion is termed
decarburization.) At what position will the
carbon concentration be 0.25 wt% after a
10-h treatment? The value of D at 1325 K is
4.3 _ 10_11 m2/s.
1052_
1100_ g
Cx _
B
1Dt
exp a_
x2
4Dtb
300_
3.0 _ 10_7
Q D0 d
CN _ 4.90 _ 10_31pN exp a_
2

37.6 kJ/mol
RT b
pN2

CN
a
7.36 _ 10_9 5.13 Nitrogen from a gaseous phase is to be diffused
into pure iron at C. If the surface
concentration is maintained at 0.2 wt% N,
what will be the concentration 2 mm from the
surface after 25 h? The diffusion coefficient for
nitrogen in iron at C is m2/s.
5.14 Consider a diffusion couple composed of two
semi-infinite solids of the same metal, and
that each side of the diffusion couple has a
different concentration of the same elemental
impurity; furthermore, assume each impurity
level is constant throughout its side of the diffusion
couple. For this situation, the solution
to Ficks second law (assuming that the diffusion
coefficient for the impurity is independent
of concentration), is as follows:
(5.12)
In this expression, when the position is
taken as the initial diffusion couple interface,
then is the impurity concentration for
likewise, is the impurity content for
A diffusion couple composed of two
platinum-gold alloys is formed; these alloys
have compositions of 99.0 wt% Pt-1.0 wt%
Au and 96.0 wt% Pt-4.0 wt% Au. Determine
the time this diffusion couple must be heated
at C (1273 K) in order for the composition
to be 2.8 wt% Au at the 10 m position
into the 4.0 wt% Au side of the diffusion couple.
Preexponential and activation energy
values for Au diffusion in Pt are
m2/s and 252,000 J/mol, respectively.
5.15 For a steel alloy it has been determined that a
carburizing heat treatment of 15 h duration will
raise the carbon concentration to 0.35 wt% at
a point 2.0 mm from the surface. Estimate the
time necessary to achieve the same concentration
at a 6.0-mm position for an identical steel
and at the same carburizing temperature.
Factors That Influence Diffusion
5.16 Cite the values of the diffusion coefficients
for the interdiffusion of carbon in both -iron
(BCC) and -iron (FCC) at C. Which is
larger? Explain why this is the case.
5.17 Using the data in Table 5.2, compute the value
of D for the diffusion of magnesium in aluminum
at 400_C.
g 900_
a
1.3 _ 10_5
m
1000_
C2 x 7 0.
C1 x 6 0;
x_0
Cx _ aC1 _ C2
2 b _ aC1 _ C2
2 b erf a x
21Dtb
675_ 1.9 _ 10_11
675_
Questions and Problems 127
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5.18 At what temperature will the diffusion coefficient
for the diffusion of zinc in copper have
a value of m2/s? Use the diffusion
data in Table 5.2.
5.19 The preexponential and activation energy
for the diffusion of chromium in nickel are
m2/s and 272,000 J/mol, respectively.
At what temperature will the diffusion
coefficient have a value of m2/s?
5.20 The activation energy for the diffusion of copper
in silver is 193,000 J/mol. Calculate the diffusion
coefficient at 1200 K ( C), given
that D at 1000 K ( C) is m2/s.
5.21 The diffusion coefficients for nickel in iron
are given at two temperatures:
T(K) D(m2/s)
1473
1673
(a) Determine the values of and the activation
energy
(b) What is the magnitude of D at C
(1573 K)?
5.22 The diffusion coefficients for carbon in nickel
are given at two temperatures:
T( C) D(m2/s)
600
700
(a) Determine the values of and
(b) What is the magnitude of D at C?
5.23 Below is shown a plot of the logarithm (to
the base 10) of the diffusion coefficient
850_
D0 Qd.
3.9 _ 10_13
5.5 _ 10_14
_
1300_
Qd .
D0
4.8 _ 10_14
2.2 _ 10_15
727_ 1.0 _ 10_14
927_
1.2 _ 10_14
1.1 _ 10_4
2.6 _ 10_16
versus reciprocal of the absolute temperature,
for the diffusion of gold in silver. Determine
values for the activation energy and
preexponential.
5.24 Carbon is allowed to diffuse through a steel
plate 10 mm thick.The concentrations of carbon
at the two faces are 0.85 and 0.40 kg
C/cm3 Fe, which are maintained constant. If
the preexponential and activation energy are
m2/s and 80,000 J/mol, respectively,
compute the temperature at which the diffusion
flux is kg/m2-s.
5.25 The steady-state diffusion flux through a
metal plate is kg/m2-s at a temperature
of C (1473 K) and when the
concentration gradient is kg/m4. Calculate
the diffusion flux at C (1273 K) for
the same concentration gradient and assuming
an activation energy for diffusion of
145,000 J/mol.
5.26 At approximately what temperature would a
specimen of -iron have to be carburized for
4 h to produce the same diffusion result as at
C for 12 h?
5.27 (a) Calculate the diffusion coefficient for
magnesium in aluminum at C.
(b) What time will be required at C to
produce the same diffusion result (in terms of
concentration at a specific point) as for 15 h
at C?
5.28 A coppernickel diffusion couple similar
to that shown in Figure 5.1a is fashioned.After
a 500-h heat treatment at C (1273 K) the
concentration of Ni is 3.0 wt% at the 1.0-mm
position within the copper. At what temperature
should the diffusion couple be heated to
produce this same concentration (i.e., 3.0 wt%
Ni) at a 2.0-mm position after 500 h? The preexponential
and activation energy for the diffusion
of Ni in Cu are m2/s and
236,000 J/mol, respectively.
5.29 A diffusion couple similar to that shown
in Figure 5.1a is prepared using two hypothetical
metals A and B. After a 20-h heat
treatment at C (and subsequently cooling
to room temperature) the concentration of B
in A is 2.5 wt% at the 5.0-mm position within
metal A. If another heat treatment is conducted
on an identical diffusion couple, only
800_
2.7 _ 10_4
1000_
450_
550_
450_
1000_
g
1000_
_500
1200_
7.8 _ 10_8
6.3 _ 10_10
6.2 _ 10_7
128 Chapter 5 / Diffusion
Reciprocal temperature (1000/K)
Diffusion coefficient (m2/s)
0.8 0.9 1.0
1015
1014
1013
1496T_c05_10913012/20/057:52Page1282nd REVISE PAGES
at for 20 h, at what position will the
composition be 2.5 wt% B? Assume that the
preexponential and activation energy for the
diffusion coefficient are m2/s and
125,000 J/mol, respectively.
5.30 The outer surface of a steel gear is to
be hardened by increasing its carbon content;
the carbon is to be supplied from an
external carbon-rich atmosphere that is
maintained at an elevated temperature. A
diffusion heat treatment at (873 K)
for 100 min increases the carbon concentration
to 0.75 wt% at a position 0.5 mm below
the surface. Estimate the diffusion time
required at 900_C (1173 K) to achieve this
600_C
1.5 _ 10_4
1000_C same concentration also at a 0.5-mm position.
Assume that the surface carbon
content is the same for both heat treatments,
which is maintained constant. Use the
diffusion data in Table 5.2 for C diffusion
in -Fe.
5.31 An FCC ironcarbon alloy initially containing
0.10 wt% C is carburized at an elevated
temperature and in an atmosphere wherein
the surface carbon concentration is maintained
at 1.10 wt%. If after 48 h the concentration
of carbon is 0.30 wt% at a position
3.5 mm below the surface, determine the
temperature at which the treatment was carried
out.
a
Design Problems 129
Steady-State Diffusion
(Factors That Influence Diffusion)
5.D1 It is desired to enrich the partial pressure of
hydrogen in a hydrogennitrogen gas mixture
for which the partial pressures of both
gases are 0.1013 MPa (1 atm). It has been
proposed to accomplish this by passing both
gases through a thin sheet of some metal at
an elevated temperature; inasmuch as hydrogen
diffuses through the plate at a higher
rate than does nitrogen, the partial pressure
of hydrogen will be higher on the exit side of
the sheet. The design calls for partial pressures
of 0.051 MPa (0.5 atm) and 0.01013
MPa (0.1 atm), respectively, for hydrogen
and nitrogen. The concentrations of hydrogen
and nitrogen ( and in mol/m3) in
this metal are functions of gas partial pressures
( and in MPa) and absolute temperature
and are given by the following expressions:
(5.13a)
(5.13b)
CN _ 2.75 _ 103 1pN exp a_
2

37.6 kJ/mol
RT b
CH _ 2.5 _ 1031pH exp a_
2

27.8 kJ/mol
RT b
pN pH ,
2 2

CH CN,
Furthermore, the diffusion coefficients for
the diffusion of these gases in this metal are
functions of the absolute temperature as follows:
(5.14a)
(5.14b)
Is it possible to purify hydrogen gas in this
manner? If so, specify a temperature at which
the process may be carried out, and also the
thickness of metal sheet that would be required.
If this procedure is not possible, then
state the reason(s) why.
5.D2 A gas mixture is found to contain two diatomic
A and B species ( and ) for which
the partial pressures of both are 0.1013 MPa
(1 atm).This mixture is to be enriched in the
partial pressure of the A species by passing
both gases through a thin sheet of some
metal at an elevated temperature. The resulting
enriched mixture is to have a partial
pressure of 0.051 MPa (0.5 atm) for gas A
and 0.0203 MPa (0.2 atm) for gas B.The concentrations
of A and B (CA and CB, in
A2 B2
DN 1m2/s2 _ 3.0 _ 10_7 exp a_
76.15 kJ/mol
RT b
DH 1m2/s2 _ 1.4 _ 10_7 exp a_
13.4 kJ/mol
RT b
DESIGN PROBLEMS
1496T_c05_10913011/14/0510:13Page129REVISED PAGES
mol/m3) are functions of gas partial pressures
( and in MPa) and absolute temperature
according to the following expressions:
(5.15a)
(5.15b)
Furthermore, the diffusion coefficients for the
diffusion of these gases in the metal are functions
of the absolute temperature as follows:
(5.16a)
(5.16b)
Is it possible to purify the A gas in this manner?
If so, specify a temperature at which the
process may be carried out, and also the
thickness of metal sheet that would be required.
If this procedure is not possible, then
state the reason(s) why.
Nonsteady-State Diffusion
(Factors That Influence Diffusion)
5.D3 The wear resistance of a steel shaft is to be
improved by hardening its surface. This is to
DB 1m2/s2 _ 3.0 _ 10_6 exp a_
21.0 kJ/mol
RT b
DA 1m2/s2 _ 5.0 _ 10_7 exp a_
13.0 kJ/mol
RT b
CB _ 2.0 _ 103 1pB exp a_
2

27.0 kJ/mol
RT b
CA _ 1.5 _ 103 1pA exp a_
2

20.0 kJ/mol
RT b
pA pB ,
2 2

be accomplished by increasing the nitrogen

content within an outer surface layer as a result
of nitrogen diffusion into the steel; the
nitrogen is to be supplied from an external
nitrogen-rich gas at an elevated and constant
temperature. The initial nitrogen content of
the steel is 0.0025 wt%, whereas the surface
concentration is to be maintained at 0.45 wt%.
For this treatment to be effective, a nitrogen
content of 0.12 wt% must be established at
a position 0.45 mm below the surface. Specify
an appropriate heat treatment in terms of
temperature and time for a temperature
between C and C. The preexponential
and activation energy for the diffusion
of nitrogen in iron are m2/s and
76,150 J/mol, respectively, over this temperature
range.
5.D4 The wear resistance of a steel gear is to be
improved by hardening its surface, as described
in Design Example 5.1. However, in
this case the initial carbon content of the
steel is 0.15 wt%, and a carbon content of
0.75 wt% is to be established at a position
0.65 mm below the surface. Furthermore, the
surface concentration is to be maintained
constant, but may be varied between 1.2 and
1.4 wt% C. Specify an appropriate heat treatment
in terms of surface carbon concentration
and time, and for a temperature